.. _`Preface`:

#######
Preface
#######

************************************************************
About the Vortex OpenSplice Google Protocol Buffers Tutorial
************************************************************

This *Vortex OpenSplice GPB Tutorial* is included with the Vortex OpenSplice
Documentation Set.

It describes how to use the Vortex OpenSplice **ISO C++ API** and **Java 5 API** in combination
with **Google Protocol Buffers** (*GPB*) data models.

This Tutorial assumes that the user is already familiar with the
DDS API as well as the Vortex OpenSplice product.

*Intended Audience*

This Guide is intended for anyone who wants to use
**Google Protocol Buffers for DDS** in developing and running
applications with Vortex OpenSplice.

*Further Information*

Detailed information about Vortex OpenSplice itself
is provided in the *User* and *Deployment* Guides,
which also give details of where additional information
can be found, such as the Vortex OpenSplice FAQs, Knowledge Base,
bug reports, *etc.*


***********
Conventions
***********

The icons shown below are used to help readers
to quickly identify information relevant to their
specific use of Vortex OpenSplice.


 ========= ==================================================================
 *Icon*    *Meaning*
 ========= ==================================================================
 |caution| Item of special significance or where caution needs to be taken.
 |info|    Item contains helpful hint or special information.
 |windows| Information applies to Windows (*e.g.* XP, 2003, Windows 7) only.
 |unix|    Information applies to Unix-based systems (*e.g.* Solaris) only.
 |linux|   Information applies to Linux-based systems (*e.g.* Ubuntu) only.
 |c|       C language specific.
 |cpp|     C++ language specific.
 |csharp|  C# language specific.
 |java|    Java language specific.
 ========= ==================================================================




.. |caution| image:: ./images/icon-caution.*
            :height: 6mm
.. |info|   image:: ./images/icon-info.*
            :height: 6mm
.. |windows| image:: ./images/icon-windows.*
            :height: 6mm
.. |unix| image:: ./images/icon-unix.*
            :height: 6mm
.. |linux| image:: ./images/icon-linux.*
            :height: 6mm
.. |c| image:: ./images/icon-c.*
            :height: 6mm
.. |cpp| image:: ./images/icon-cpp.*
            :height: 6mm
.. |csharp| image:: ./images/icon-csharp.*
            :height: 6mm
.. |java| image:: ./images/icon-java.*
            :height: 6mm